Occam's razor: Sharp or blunt

[Nearly Sane]

On the Felt Presence thread there was mention of William.of Occam's razor:

https://www.religionethics.co.uk/index.php?topic=20008.msg863550;boardseen#new


Prof D challenged it, and I sort of agree, I think it's a blunter tool than it's often used as. Thoughts?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam%27s_razor

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Occam's razor....interesting in what it implies about necessity and necessary entities.

[Nearly Sane]

Occam's razor....interesting in what it implies about necessity and necessary entities.

Care to expand?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Care to expand?

As far as I can see, The multiplication of entities beyond necessity in Occam's razor has mutated into merely the multiplication of entities where the aim is now to have as few entities as possible and that is now what constitutes a "win" in an argument, necessity being dispensed with.

[Nearly Sane]

As far as I can see, The multiplication of entities beyond necessity in Occam's razor has mutated into merely the multiplication of entities where the aim is now to have as few entities as possible and that is now what constitutes a "win" in an argument, necessity being dispensed with.

I think you might be using 'necessity' in that statement with 2 different meanings.
1. Necessity to an explanation

And

2. Necessity in itself, applying to the entity, even withoit explanatory purpose.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I think you might be using 'necessity' in that statement with 2 different meanings.
1. Necessity to an explanation

And

2. Necessity in itself, applying to the entity, even withoit explanatory purpose.

No, I don't think so.I use the word necessity twice with the same meaning in two contexts...presence and absence.

[Nearly Sane]

No, I don't think so.I use the word necessity twice with the same meaning in two contexts...presence and absence.

Leaving aside your belief in that other's misuse the razor, do you think it has power?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Leaving aside your belief in that other's misuse the razor, do you think it has power?

I'm not sure what you mean.

[Nearly Sane]

I'm not sure what you mean.

Do you think it is useful? As per the OP, I think it's not actually that powerful as a tool.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Do you think it is useful? As per the OP, I think it's not actually that powerful as a tool.

Loses it's power when you don't know if one or more entities is necessary.or not.

[Nearly Sane]

Loses it's power when you don't know if one or more entities is necessary.or not.

How often do you know what is necessary?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

How often do you know what is necessary?

precisely.